Potholes beware: UK's roads to get a £1.3bn boost in Philip Hammond's infrastructure-intensive first Autumn Statement

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The UK's roads are being promised upgrades to help choke off congestions (Source: Getty)

Francesca Washtell

A £1.3bn funding boost to go towards improving Britain's roads will be one of the key infrastructure policies announced in Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement next week.

Infrastructure investment will be "at the heart" of the mini-Budget, the government said today, will policies targeting long-term economic growth and productivity. An industrial strategy will also be published in the coming weeks.

The roads investment will prioritise small projects that will relieve congestion and "deliver much needed upgrades on existing networks".

The £1.3bn will be split between £1.1bn to reduce congestion and upgrade vital local roads and public transport networks, £220m to tackle pinch-points on Highways England roads and the acceptance of the National Infrastructure Commission's recommendation to back an expressway connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge with £27m in funding.

Congestion is estimated to already cost UK households over £13bn every year and "by 2040 the equivalent of more than 100m working days could be lost unless action is taken," the government said.